Category: Nevada State Board of Education

Nevada Ed-Watch: 3/16/23

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on decisions being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Nevada State Board of Education

What is the State Board of Education & what are they responsible for? The Nevada State Board of Education adopts regulations based on Nevada laws, which are passed down to individual school districts in Nevada to implement. The Board has 11 total (7 appointed and 4 publicly elected) members.

How often does the State Board meet? The Nevada State Board of Education meets once per month on Thursdays at 9:00 AM or 2:00 PM. Click here to see the 2022 Board Meeting Schedule. Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar.

Can community members engage at State Board Meetings? A time for public comment is provided at the beginning (for agenda items) and at the conclusion (on any matter) of each Board meeting. Members of the public may provide public comment in writing via email; public comment will be accepted via email for the duration of the meeting and shared with the State Board of Education during the public comment periods. Public comment may be emailed to NVBoardED@doe.nv.gov.

Click here for a list of all State Board Members.

Thursday, March 16, 2023

Nevada State Board of Education Meeting

Click here to see the regular SBOE meeting agenda.

Click here to watch the meeting playback.

What happened at the regular meeting?

President’s Report

  • The second of three high school start time workshops is coming up on March 30 in Carson City. A Las Vegas-based workshop will take place on April 15.
  • The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents report included a new Bachelor of Science program in early childhood education at UNR, as well as other recently approved education-related degrees and certification programs. Additional education-related K-12 pathway programs are under consideration.

Superintendent’s Report

  • Christy McGill will serve as Interim Deputy Superintendent, and Chris Hoffman is the Department’s Chief Strategy Officer.
  • The Department’s family engagement policy will be reviewed by the Department to enhance family involvement, communication, and collaboration.

Board Approved the Consent Agenda

Highlights included:

Board Discussed Updates from the College and Career Readiness (CCR) Assessment Subcommittee

This subcommittee reviewed the scope of work, scoring rubric, and committee entities. Goals of the subcommittee included aligning with accepted college admission requirements and scholarship criteria, predicting career and college preparedness, and reducing assessments required of high school students, among other criteria.

The subcommittee proposed weighting of the rubric as follows: project management (20%), function and technical requirements (50%), equity (10%), and cost schedule (20%). The Department will bring the draft RFP back to the Board for its April meeting.

Explore the CCR RFP Committee Entities, regulations governing procurement, and the proposed rubric for the CCR assessment.

Board Discussed and Defined Roles & Responsibilities within the Board of Education

The Board approved a new Clerk position for the State Board. The Clerk would review draft agendas, capture all future agenda items, finalize meeting materials, and monitor the goal setting and governance processes as dictated by Silver State Governance.

The Board re-elected Felicia Ortiz as Board President, voted Member Katie Dockweiler as Board Vice President, and Member Tamara Hudson as Board Clerk.

Board Discussed Changing the Date and Start Times of Meetings

The Board voted to move board meeting dates to Mondays, with the exception of holidays, to avoid conflicts with school districts’ board meetings and Board of Regents meetings. Meeting times will be kept at 2:00 p.m. during the school year, with summer meetings to be held in the morning. This will be effective for the June Board meeting.

Board Received an Update on the State Board of Education English Mastery Council Workgroup

The group presented recommendations relating to which of the mastery council’s recommendations would require regulatory changes, Department follow-up, District follow-up, or no further actions. The original recommendations requiring regulatory changes include revising the bilingual endorsement coursework and ELAD endorsement requirements (Recommendations 1 and 2) and requiring LEAs to include receiving and responding to parent input (Recommendation 12).

Explore the presentation.

Board Discussed Future Agenda Items

The board reviewed the following items for inclusion in the 2023 calendar:

  • Workshops for school start times
  • Variance approvals for class size reductions
  • Naming conventions for private schools
  • Executive Order 2023-003
  • English Mastery Council updates
  • Legislative updates

Public Comment #2

  • Thanking Board members for participation in Nevada Reading Week
  • 2023 STIP Addendum

The next regular Board of Education meeting is scheduled at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 6, 2022.


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Nevada Ed-Watch: 1/20/23

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on decisions being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Nevada State Board of Education

What is the State Board of Education & what are they responsible for? The Nevada State Board of Education adopts regulations based on Nevada laws, which are passed down to individual school districts in Nevada to implement. The Board has 11 total (7 appointed and 4 publicly elected) members.

How often does the State Board meet? The Nevada State Board of Education meets once per month on Thursdays at 9:00 AM or 2:00 PM. Click here to see the 2022 Board Meeting Schedule. Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar.

Can community members engage at State Board Meetings? A time for public comment is provided at the beginning (for agenda items) and at the conclusion (on any matter) of each Board meeting. Members of the public may provide public comment in writing via email; public comment will be accepted via email for the duration of the meeting and shared with the State Board of Education during the public comment periods. Public comment may be emailed to NVBoardED@doe.nv.gov.

Click here for a list of all State Board Members.

Friday, January 20, 2023

Nevada State Board of Education Meeting

Click here to see the regular SBOE meeting agenda.

Click here to watch the meeting playback.

What happened at the regular meeting?

Public Comment #1

Public comment was heard on the following subjects: 

  • A recommendation for educators and high school staff to include in the Career and College Readiness assessment committee

Board Discussed the State Plan for the Improvement of Pupils

Staff provided an overview of the Statewide Plan for the Improvement of Pupils (STIP), an analysis of data regarding success strategies, and how the state is performing on goals aligned with the STIP.

  • Goal 1: Access to early care and education: Progress is mostly flat for accelerating Read by Grade 3.
  • Goal 2: Access to effective teachers: Licensed educational personnel vacancies have dropped from 12.44% for the 2021-22 school year to 9.58% for the 2022-23 school year.
  • Goal 3: Continued academic growth: Improvement has been showed among some student groups in closing pre-K-8 opportunity gaps, but gaps persist among others.
  • Goal 4: Graduate future ready and globally prepared: Disparities among graduation rates in different student groups persist, with graduation rates dropping for students who identify as Black, American Indian-Alaska Native, and two or more races.
  • Goal 5: Access to educational opportunities: Risk assessments are missing data points from the FY22 for comparisons.
  • Goal 6: Safe environments: Five schools were rated as least favorable regarding physical safety.

Staff detailed certain considerations. Some progress has been made but there are opportunities for the Department, school districts, and schools to improve. There is some key data missing due to waivers and remote learning for SY 2019-20 and SY 2020-21. This makes it difficult to track progress.

Staff concluded that several actions listed in the strategies are “not within the purview of the Nevada Department of Education.” The Department will submit a 2023 STIP Addendum, shift the focus of strategies in the STIP to ensure alignment with different NDE divisions and boards, and identify and monitors supports available.

Final approvals will be considered at the March Board meeting.

Explore the presentation.

Board Received a Presentation on Bill Draft Requests of the 82nd Legislative Session

Staff provided an overview of the Department’s bill draft requests (BDRs) for the 82nd Legislative Session, which begins in February.

  • Assembly Bill (AB) 65: A bill intended to clarify or make language more efficient in existing law. It has six parts: 1) educators may receive a summative evaluation during a third waiver year at the discretion of the supervisor or by request; 2) clarifies bullying definitions and reporting; 3) changes the process for adult-child complaints to be handled primarily within the district; 4) changes the kindergarten cut-off birthdate to August 1 and clarifies language about first and second grade students who did not attend kindergarten or first grade; 5) clarifies that work-based learning plans will be approved by superintendent; and 6) clarifies language differentiating between progressive discipline and restorative approaches.
  • AB 42: Class size reduction reporting requirements, including class size reduction reporting and eliminating alternate reporting plans; adjusts certain class size requests; and shifts variance requests to be completed once per year instead of quarterly.
  • AB 4: Adjusts the meeting timeline for the Commission on School Funding and revises membership for the Commission on Professional Standards
  • AB 25: Expands Nevada’s Good Samaritan Law protection for both public and private schools
  • Senate Bill (SB) 9: Removes end of course exams; eliminates participation in the parent report card form; adjusts timelines for reporting requirements for personnel and services report for local education agencies; increases the use of career and technical education funds that can include leadership, training, and workforce development activities; and adjusts provisions regarding the Educational Involvement Accord
  • AB 54: Clarifies language that provides school districts as a reviewer for education plans for hospitals providing education services; updates language regarding free and reduced-lunch eligible students; creates consistency among the use of “attendance” and “enrollment” and updates the definition of chronic absenteeism.

Other pre-filed bills the Department is monitoring include:

  • SB46 relating to the creation of Empowerment Districts (Carson City School District)
  • SB47 on the creation of a Public Education Working Conditions Task Force, authorizing the Board of Trustees to build, purchase, or rent residential dwellings and eliminate teacher licensure fees (Clark County School District)
  • SB56 on a Commission on School Modernization, consisting of all Nevada superintendents being tasked with undertaking a study and making recommendations to revise NRS and NAC on related matters (Washoe County School District)
  • SB65, which requires members of a school board to provide a certification for school board candidates for training and professional development, and requiring fingerprinting for Board of Trustees candidates (Clark County School District).

Additional updates will be provided throughout the legislative session.

Explore the presentation and Assembly Bill 65 text.

Board Approved the Nevada Association of School Superintendents’ iNVest in Education Proposal

The Board approved endorsing the iNVest platform, which was presented at the December board meeting.

Review the iNVest handout.

Board Discussed Goals and the Board’s Self-Evaluation Process

The board reviewed the process that has been completed thus far: training, workshops, setting a vision and mission, as well as goals aligned with that vision; and then collaboratively discussed goals and objectives in alignment with the Silver State Governance training rubric. The rubric is scored by 0-4, with zero being not student outcomes focused and four mastering student outcomes focused.

  • Adopting Vision and Goals Aligned to Student Outcomes – Discussed as Approaching the Student Outcomes Focus
  • Adopting Guardrails Aligned to Vision – Discussed asApproaching the Student Outcomes Focus
  • Devoting Significant Time to Accountability and Monitoring – Discussed as Not Student Outcomes Focused and Approaching Student Outcomes Focus
  • Including Stakeholders in the Pursuit of the Vision –  Discussed as Not Approaching Student Outcomes Focused and Meeting Student Outcomes Focus
  • Leading with One Voice in Pursuit of Vision and Goals – Discussed as Approaching Student Outcomes Focus and Meeting Student Outcomes Focus
  • Investing Time and Resources Towards Improvement – Discussed as Approaching Student Outcomes Focus and Meeting Student Outcomes Focus

Discussion included additional avenues for community engagement and future workshop content.

Explore the goals, guidelines, and rubric.

Board Discussed Future Agenda Items

The board reviewed the following items for inclusion in the 2023 calendar:

  • State Board meeting start times
  • Subcommittee findings and recommendations for the College and Career Readiness assessment
  • State Board Officers elections
  • English Mastery Council recommendations
  • Workshops for school start times

Public Comment #2

  • No public comment provided.

The next regular Board of Education meeting is scheduled at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 16, 2022.


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Nevada Ed-Watch: 1/12/23

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on decisions being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Nevada State Board of Education

What is the State Board of Education & what are they responsible for? The Nevada State Board of Education adopts regulations based on Nevada laws, which are passed down to individual school districts in Nevada to implement. The Board has 11 total (7 appointed and 4 publicly elected) members.

How often does the State Board meet? The Nevada State Board of Education meets once per month on Thursdays at 9:00 AM or 2:00 PM. Click here to see the 2022 Board Meeting Schedule. Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar.

Can community members engage at State Board Meetings? A time for public comment is provided at the beginning (for agenda items) and at the conclusion (on any matter) of each Board meeting. Members of the public may provide public comment in writing via email; public comment will be accepted via email for the duration of the meeting and shared with the State Board of Education during the public comment periods. Public comment may be emailed to NVBoardED@doe.nv.gov.

Click here for a list of all State Board Members.

Thursday, January 12, 2023

Nevada State Board of Education Meeting

Click here to see the regular SBOE meeting agenda.

Click here to watch the meeting playback.

What happened at the regular meeting?

Public Comment #1

Public comment was heard on the following subjects: 

  • Student appreciation for the Jobs for Nevada Graduates program

President’s Report

Highlights included:

  • Portrait of a Learner will inform measuring and tracking success for the state’s education system through a student-focused lens. Applications for student participants are now available.  
  • President Ortiz introduced new Board Member Maggie Carlton and thanked outgoing Vice President Mark Newburn for his service.
  • Governor Lombardo has reappointed Superintendent Ebert.

Superintendent’s Report

  • Legislative Updates: Assignments for the Senate and Assembly Education Committees have been announced. The Senate Education Committee will meet Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 1:00 p.m. beginning February 6. January 23 is the State of the State address. The Governor’s finance office budget presentation will be later that week, and the Department will be presenting the funding formula at 8:30 a.m., and the departmental budget at 10:15 a.m.
  • Principal Advisory Cabinet: This statewide group met recently to discuss a variety of initiatives.  

Board Approved Consent Agenda 

Consent agenda items included:

Explore the consent agenda items.

Board Discussed the 2023 Nevada Teacher of the Year Finalists

The Board received a presentation on the application and selection process for the 2023 Nevada Teacher of the Year awards. In 2023, 75 nominations and 16 applications were submitted. Opportunities for honorees include participating in the Superintendent’s Advisory Cabinet and the Learning Forward Annual Conference, speaking engagements, and professional learning opportunities. National opportunities include the Teacher of the Year induction program, White House Presidential Ceremony, participation in International Space Camp, and participation on the Education Commission of the States Forum on Education.

2023 finalists are Laura Jeanne Penrod (Southwest Career and Technical Academy); Jamie Tadrzynski (Canyon Springs High School); Adrienne Wiggins (Empire Elementary School); Michaela Marich (McGill Elementary School); and Connie Hall (Diedrichsen Elementary School, and this year’s Nevada Teacher of the Year).

Explore the presentation.

Board Discussed a Developmentally Appropriate Kindergarten Policy Statement

The Board received a presentation on developmentally appropriate kindergarten, reviewed a draft policy statement, and discussed next steps, centering on the goal of every child in Nevada, birth through third grade (B-3) having the right to equitable learning opportunities with educators who engage in developmentally appropriate practice. Implementation has begun in terms of a P-3 leadership certificate program, DAP kindergarten cohort statewide, and WestEd’s Transforming Kindergarten Collaborative, among other initiatives.

Next steps include formal dissemination of the memo and policy statement, developing a B-3 toolkit, sharing the toolkit with stakeholders, ongoing professional development, and integration into the Pillars of P-3 Promise and ongoing work.

Explore the presentation.

Board Discussed Nevada’s 2021-2022 Graduation Rates           

The Board reviewed Nevada’s 2021-2022 graduation rates. The statewide four-year graduation rate for 2022 was 81.72%, a slight uptick from 2021’s 81.31%. Clark County’s was 81.31% (up slightly from 2021’s 80.94% graduation rate); Washoe County’s was 84.36% (up from 2021’s 82.48% graduation rate); and the State Public Charter School Authority’s was 86.07% (down sightly from 2021’s 86.89% graduation rate).

There are disparities among graduation rates by race and ethnicity, with Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native students performing below the statewide average. For special populations, Career and Technical Education students outperformed the statewide rate, while English Learner, IEP, and homeless and foster-care students underperformed.

Fifty-eight percent of graduates earned a standard diploma, 15.6% earned an advanced diploma, and 26.1% earned a college and career ready diploma. One of the Board’s goals is to increase the number of CCR diplomas to 50% of students.

Dr. David Jensen offered details on how Humboldt County increased their CCR diploma rate by 20% through focusing on CTE.

Explore the presentation.

Board Discussed Community Partner Accomplishments

The Board heard updates from three community partners:

  • Jobs for Nevada Graduates: Preparing students for real-world careers, the program has a 95.89% graduation rate and most students identify as African American and Hispanic.
  • Communities in Schools of Nevada: This organization places full time-trained site coordinators on school campuses across the state to manage student and school needs. Their work leads to increases in student attendance, behavior, and course work.
  • Fulfillment Fund Las Vegas: This organization works to inspire students to continue on to post-secondary education with on-campus lessons, college tours, community service events and counseling on the high school and post-secondary levels.

Explore Jobs for Nevada Graduates’ presentation.

Board Heard an Update and Approved the Language for the Draft Request for Proposal and Entities Represented on the RFP Committee for Nevada’s College and Career Readiness (CCR) Assessment

The Board reviewed the results of the stakeholder survey regarding the CCR assessment. The top responses include aligning with widely accepted admissions requirements for college and universities and/or scholarship requirements; predicting student preparedness for CCR; reducing the total number of assessments given to high school students; and providing consistent data to compare student progress year-over-year.

A list of committee entities was also discussed, as well as the RFP scope of work. Another update will be provided in March.

Review the stakeholder survey results, the list of proposed entities to comprise the RFP committee, and the RFP scope of work.

Agenda Item 12 – Information and Discussion the State Plan for the Improvement of Pupils; Item 13 – Information Regarding the 82nd Legislature Bill Draft Requests; and Item 14 – Information Regarding the Board of Education’s Self Evaluation, were moved to an agenda for a newly-added virtual meeting on Friday, January 20, at 3:30 p.m.

Board Discussed Election of Officers

The Board discussed the process for electing a Vice President and the possibility of creating a Clerk position. Board elections will take place in March.

Board Discussed Meeting Start Times

The Board discussed the possibility of changing the start time of its regular meetings. Currently, board meetings begin at 2:00 p.m.

Board Discussed Future Agenda Items

The board reviewed the following items for inclusion in the 2023 calendar:

  • State Board Officer elections
  • English Mastery Council recommendations
  • Workshops for school start times
  • School naming conventions
  • Challenges regarding Board of Education reimbursements to schools
  • Front-loading action items directly after Consent Agenda, and put discussion items further down the agenda
  • Board meeting start times

Public Comment #2

  • New legislative guidelines for kindergarten age placement
  • Congratulations to Member Carlton
  • Timing of meetings should consider teacher and staff availability
  • Reflections on general poor performance in Nevada educational system
  • Ideas to increase teacher wages, decrease class sizes and fill job vacancies
  • CCR RFP process
  • Introduction of new staff members

The next regular Board of Education meeting is scheduled at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 16, 2022. A special board meeting, mentioned above, will be held January 20, at 3:30 p.m.


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Nevada Ed-Watch: 12/15/22

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on decisions being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Nevada State Board of Education

What is the State Board of Education & what are they responsible for? The Nevada State Board of Education adopts regulations based on Nevada laws, which are passed down to individual school districts in Nevada to implement. The Board has 11 total (7 appointed and 4 publicly elected) members.

How often does the State Board meet? The Nevada State Board of Education meets once per month on Thursdays at 9:00 AM or 2:00 PM. Click here to see the 2022 Board Meeting Schedule. Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar.

Can community members engage at State Board Meetings? A time for public comment is provided at the beginning (for agenda items) and at the conclusion (on any matter) of each Board meeting. Members of the public may provide public comment in writing via email; public comment will be accepted via email for the duration of the meeting and shared with the State Board of Education during the public comment periods. Public comment may be emailed to NVBoardED@doe.nv.gov.

Click here for a list of all State Board Members.

Thursday, December 15, 2022

Nevada State Board of Education Meeting

Click here to see the regular SBOE meeting agenda.

Click here to watch the meeting playback.

What happened at the regular meeting?

Public Comment #1

Public comment was heard on the following subjects: 

  • Exempting speech language pathologists from certain competency testing
  • Legislative priorities for the Board
  • Alternate pathways to teacher licensure
  • Nevada’s ranking in the Education Law Center’s “Making the Grade” report
  • Teacher pay and recruitment
  • Disproportionate opportunities for students of color
  • High school start times
  • Operational effectiveness in school districts

President’s Report

Highlights included:

  • Five schools were recognized as Purple Star schools for their support to military families.
  • With the election of Governor-Elect Lombardo, there may be some shifts within the Board of Education.
  • There is a budget surplus, which several members of the board and external partners, including legislators, are working on to benefit education in Nevada.
  • The UNLV College of Education Alumni of the Year was Superintendent Jhone Ebert.
  • NSHE Board of Regents approved new programs at UNLV, including two new Master’s programs for educators. New anti-bias and anti-discrimination regulations were also passed. Regents also approved the renewal of the MGM employer-sponsored higher education program. New board officer positions within NSHE have also been announced.

Superintendent’s Report

  • Several school and district visits have taken place in Elko, Lander, Humboldt, Pershing, and Lyon Counties, and Owyhee Combined School.
  • Megan Peterson is the new Deputy Superintendent for Student Investment.
  • 1,458 responses have been submitted to the college and career readiness assessment survey.

Board Approved Consent Agenda 

Consent agenda items included:

Explore the consent agenda items.

Board Discussed Possibly Implementing Later Start Times for High School

The Board discussed potentially implementing later start times for high school students. Benefits of later start times include better mental and physical health, improved academic outcomes, reduced risk of car accidents and injuries, and less tardiness.

Board and several superintendents in attendance discussed the need for additional stakeholder input on needs, cost and availability of transportation, student wellness, and piloting the program. The state will gather feedback on this topic to make a decision at a later date.

Explore the benefits document.

Board Approved a Position Statement for the 2023 Legislative Session

The Board approved its position statement on additional funding from the 2023 legislative session, to get student funding to an optimal level. The three large areas of priority identified by the state in this position statement are educator recruitment, training, retention, and support; Pre-K programs; and infrastructure (both physical and technological). After discussion, additional language was provided on competency-based learning and workforce development goals.

Explore the position statement.

Board Discussed Goals and Benchmarks of the State for Improving Student Achievement

Representatives of the Nevada Association of School Superintendents (NASS) presented a summary of the most recent math and ELA outcomes, graduation rates, and CTE outcomes, and potential alternate metrics for student achievement, including student-led conferences, student goals, service activities, and extra- and co-curricular activities. NASS representatives detailed the iNVest priorities for the 2023 legislature:

  • Funding districts and schools to hire and retain high-quality staff in a competitive labor market, including increasing salaries, new pathways to the education profession, leadership pathways, standardized curriculum and professional development for teachers, and improved working conditions (Estimated cost: $1.7 billion)
  • Increasing equitable education opportunities, including fully funding student weights, expanded CTE, STEM/STEAM, and other innovative programs, and 1:1 connectivity and access to WiFi (Estimated cost: $976 million)
  • Improving needed supports for students and families, including addressing mental health needs, family empowerment programs, and extra- or co-curricular activities (Estimated cost: $1 billion)

NASS representatives asked the Board to adopt the iNVest platform at its next meeting.

Washoe County School District reported that they have adopted their legislative platform in alignment with iNVest priorities and the State’s position statement, and the district will be embarking on a strategic planning process in 2023. There is a need for greater systemic coherence and modernizing statues and regulations and policies.

Nevada Association of School Boards reported that their annual conference welcomed 130+ attendees, and that the organization is expanding its training and tracking programs, and rebuilding its website. The representative also spoke about the need for enhanced collaboration and the need to focus on student outcomes.

Nye County School District reported that resources and funding levels, as well as state support for school performance plans, are challenges for the District, as well as adequate staffing for teachers and support staff.

Explore the presentation, appendix, and iNVest platform document.

Board Deferred a Presentation on Developmentally Appropriate Kindergarten Policy

This item will be heard at the January board meeting.

Future Agenda Items

The board reviewed the following items for inclusion in the 2023 calendar:

  • Graduation rates presentation
  • Silver State Governance Training
  • Board evaluations
  • Board meeting start times
  • Priority bills for the 2023 Legislature
  • High school start times workshop

Public Comment #2

Public comment was heard on the following subjects:

  • Disproportionality among students in discipline and student progress
  • Pay rates for support employees
  • Public comment periods at Clark County School District meetings
  • District accountability

The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 12, 2022.


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Nevada Ed-Watch: 11/03/22

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on decisions being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Nevada State Board of Education

What is the State Board of Education & what are they responsible for? The Nevada State Board of Education adopts regulations based on Nevada laws, which are passed down to individual school districts in Nevada to implement. The Board has 11 total (7 appointed and 4 publicly elected) members.

How often does the State Board meet? The Nevada State Board of Education meets once per month on Thursdays at 9:00 AM or 2:00 PM. Click here to see the 2022 Board Meeting Schedule. Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar.

Can community members engage at State Board Meetings? A time for public comment is provided at the beginning (for agenda items) and at the conclusion (on any matter) of each Board meeting. Members of the public may provide public comment in writing via email; public comment will be accepted via email for the duration of the meeting and shared with the State Board of Education during the public comment periods. Public comment may be emailed to NVBoardED@doe.nv.gov.

Click here for a list of all State Board Members.

Thursday, November 3, 2022

Nevada State Board of Education Meeting

Click here to see the regular SBOE meeting agenda.

Click here to watch the meeting playback.

What happened at the regular meeting?

Public Comment #1

Public comment was heard on the following subjects: 

  • Student discipline data disparities
  • State Public Charter School Authority appointments
  • College and Career Readiness High School Assessment process and student involvement

President’s Report

Highlights included:

  • The Department held the Nevada Future of Learning network convening in October. Discussion included the “Portrait of the Learner” initiative, competency-based education, and what stakeholders want kids to be able to do when they graduate from high school. Highlights from the event include a student panel, and discussions on future jobs and community engagement.
  • The December Board meeting will include community stakeholders, school districts, and charter schools to review their progress in 2022.
  • A stakeholders’ meeting for NRS 385.040 was held.
  • The NSHE Board of Regents’ representative on the Board reported that 2022-2023 enrollment is slightly down for the system. A committee to review the roles and responsibilities of the chancellor is underway. The Regents are currently awaiting the Governor’s proposed budget and the 2023 legislative session.

Superintendent’s Report

  • Several new staff positions were announced.
  • The Advanced Career and Technical Education Conference will be held in Las Vegas from November 30 – December 3.
  • Nevada was selected to participate in the National P-3 Institute Annual Conference.

Board Approved Consent Agenda 

Consent agenda items included:

Explore the consent agenda items.

Board Received a Presentation on the English Mastery Council Final Report

The English Mastery Council (EMC) was charged with making recommendations concerning criteria for District English Learner (EL) policy, reviewing district EL policies, making recommendations concerning requirements to teach English as a Second Language (ESL), and making recommendations for standards and criteria for curriculum for English learners.

Recommendations from the EMC include:

  • Amending regulatory language for endorsements to teach a program of bilingual education
  • Providing targeted funding for students in the lowest 25th percentile of English language academic achievement, equivalent to funding provided for EL students
  • Requiring each district to create a policy and implementation plan for meeting the needs of students performing in the lowest 25th percentile of English language academic achievement
  • Requiring schools in the lowest 25th percentile of English language academic achievement to develop a corrective action plan
  • Requiring all school districts to create a detailed EL plan to implement their EL policy, regardless of the number of ELs in the district and even if there are not ELs currently identified in the district, and specifying ELD curriculum materials and instructional methods
  • Properly and accurately identifying EL students to avoid over-identification of special education students and under-identification of GATE students
  • Conducting professional development to improve instruction and assessment for ELs
  • Increasing educator capacity through opportunities such as recruiting and incentivizing teachers with TESL/ELAD endorsements or those with equity and evidence training
  • Requiring districts to establish procedures and opportunities for parents of EL students to provide feedback and recommendations on EL programming

Some members of the Board will be participating in a sub-committee to continue this discussion further and prioritizing recommendations from the EMC.

Explore the presentation.

Board Awarded Teach Nevada Scholarships

The Board approved $2.5 million in awards for the Teach Nevada Scholarships – Phase II. These scholarships will be distributed to Clark County School District, Great Basin College, UNLV, UNR, and Washoe County School District, in multiple programs.

Explore the presentation and awards.

Board Reviewed the Draft Survey and Process for the College and Career Readiness High School Assessment RFP Survey

Beginning in 2018, Nevada began to use the ACT as the state’s college and career readiness assessment, and the process for that assessment is up for review. The Board reviewed the draft survey and process for obtaining public comment for the RFP process for the College and Career Readiness High School Assessment.  

Several of the questions have been shortened and simplified from a version previously presented to the Board. A question was added on career readiness to the survey, and the survey will proceed.

Explore the survey draft.

Board Received a Presentation on Discipline Data, Disaggregated by Population

The Board received a presentation on discipline data disaggregated by student groups. Disparities persist with suspensions and expulsions among white, Black, and Hispanic students. Additional data was presented on different types of disciplinary infractions, as well as on the approach to improve school climate. The approach includes the Multi-Tiered Systems of support, restorative justice practices, and social and emotional learning.

Explore the presentation and data.

Board Received a Presentation on the Nevada Educator Performance Framework Summative Evaluation Ratings and Survey Data

This presentation is part of an annual review of the statewide performance evaluation system. On the Nevada Educator Performance Framework (NEPF), there was an increase in teachers rated as highly effective, and a decrease in teachers rated as effective. There was also a slight increase in administrators rated effective, and a decrease in administrators rated highly effective.

Staff also reviewed results from the annual Monitoring for Continuous Improvement (MCI) educator surveys. About 24% of administrators and 31% of teachers responded, with most respondents agreeing that the evaluation helped identify areas of growth and focused more on professional growth rather than awarding a score or rating. Most respondents also agreed that feedback positively impacted instructional/leadership practice.

Explore the presentation and results.

Board Selected an Appointee to the Nevada State Public Charter School Authority Board

The Board appointed Cindi Rivera as a Board of Education appointee to the Nevada State Public Charter School Authority Board. Rivera will serve on the SPCSA board for the duration of an unexpired term ending June 30, 2024.

Explore the candidates’ applications.

Board Discussed a Position Statement for the Upcoming 2023 Legislative Session

The Board discussed a revised version of its position statement on additional funding from the 2023 legislative session. Additional edits were made to underscore the impact of the areas of focus (educator recruitment, training retention, and support; pre-k programs; and infrastructure) on student outcomes, add a statement that funding alone will not solve the challenges outlined and to explore additional pathways to address these challenges, and incorporate other changes prior to sending.

Explore the draft position statement.

Board Conducted a Public Hearing for Temporary Regulation #T005-22

The Board conducted a public hearing for Temporary Regulation #T005-22, which would lower the weight of an end-of-course final from the currently required 20% of a student’s final course grade to 5% of a student’s final course grade for the 2022-2023 school year; and request that for 2022-2023 school year, only Math I, Integrated Math I, and ELA I-Reading Comprehension End of Course (EOC) assessments are administered, scored, and used in a student’s final course grade. This change would remove the Math II, Integrated Math II, and ELA II exams from being administered in the 2022-2023 school year.

Explore the proposed regulation and public hearing materials.

Board Conducted a Public Hearing for Temporary Regulation #T007-22

The Board conducted a public hearing for Temporary Regulation #T007-22, regarding the uniform grading scale for all public high schools to include dual credit courses and assign the same weight for such courses assigned to advanced placement courses.

Explore the proposed regulation and public hearing materials.

Future Agenda Items

The December meeting will include the annual stakeholders’ meeting to discuss benchmarks and goals.

Public Comment #2

Public comment was heard on the following subjects:

  • Monthly payments from the Pupil Centered Funding Plan
  • Math achievement and math teacher shortages
  • Equity in language access regarding school nurses and health staff

The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 15, 2022.


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Nevada Ed-Watch: 10/06/22

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on decisions being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Nevada State Board of Education

What is the State Board of Education & what are they responsible for? The Nevada State Board of Education adopts regulations based on Nevada laws, which are passed down to individual school districts in Nevada to implement. The Board has 11 total (7 appointed and 4 publicly elected) members.

How often does the State Board meet? The Nevada State Board of Education meets once per month on Thursdays at 9:00 AM or 2:00 PM. Click here to see the 2022 Board Meeting Schedule. Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar.

Can community members engage at State Board Meetings? A time for public comment is provided at the beginning (for agenda items) and at the conclusion (on any matter) of each Board meeting. Members of the public may provide public comment in writing via email; public comment will be accepted via email for the duration of the meeting and shared with the State Board of Education during the public comment periods. Public comment may be emailed to NVBoardED@doe.nv.gov.

Click here for a list of all State Board Members.

Thursday, October 6, 2022

Nevada State Board of Education Meeting

Click here to see the regular SBOE meeting agenda.

Click here to watch the meeting playback.

What happened at the regular meeting?

Public Comment #1

Public comment was heard on the following subjects: 

  • No public comment was provided during this time.

Board Conducted a Public Hearing for and Approved Regulation #R132-22

The Board conducted a public hearing for and approved Regulation #R132-22, establishing requirements governing the enrollment of certain children who are admitted to a mental health facility, including parameters and regulations for a student who may or may not be enrolled in a public school when that student is admitted to a mental health facility.

Explore the proposed regulation and public hearing materials.

Board Conducted a Public Hearing for and Approved Regulation #R136-22

The Board conducted a public hearing for Regulation #R136-22, revising provisions relating to counting attendance and enrollment of students. Changes include additional definitions of instructional days and periods, school quarters, and chronic absenteeism; reporting and coding of absences; and clarifying when a student is considered withdrawn from a school.

Explore the proposed regulation and public hearing materials.

Board Conducted a Public Hearing for and Approved Regulation #R143-22

The Board conducted a public hearing for Regulation #R136-22, establishing certain requirements for the Handle with Care program, including maintaining confidentiality, training, and plans for data security.

Explore the proposed regulation and public hearing materials.

Board Conducted a Public Hearing for and Approved Temporary Regulation #T003-22

The Board conducted a public hearing for Temporary Regulation #T003-22, revising the Pupil-Centered Funding Plan’s definition of “at-risk pupil” to a pupil that “has an economic or academic disadvantage such that they require additional services and assistance to enable them to graduate with their cohorts. The term includes, without limitation, pupils who are members of economically disadvantaged families, pupils who are at risk of dropping out of high school, and pupils who do not meet minimum standards of academic proficiency.” It also specifies that the definition of “at-risk” does not include pupils with a disability, pupils also designated as gifted and talented, or pupils who are English Learners.

Explore the proposed regulation and public hearing materials.

Board Conducted a Public Hearing for and Approved Regulation #R146-22

The Board conducted a public hearing for Regulation #R146-22, revising certain provisions governing career and technical education programs, including that a school district or governing body of a charter school shall have advisory technical skills committees to consult with regularly on the program, and removing language regarding district size.

Explore the proposed regulation and public hearing materials.

Board Conducted a Public Hearing for Regulation #R147-22

The Board conducted a public hearing for Regulation #R147-22, revising provisions regarding adult high school programs and revising certain provisions regarding the award of an adult standard diploma. The revisions include specifying the age for the program and criteria to earn an adult high school diploma.

The board tabled approving this regulation, and Staff will be revising language to incorporate a transition period between when credits shift from full credit to half credit as specified on the revised regulations.

Explore the proposed regulation and public hearing materials.

Board Conducted a Public Hearing for and Approved Regulation #R159-22

The Board conducted a public hearing for Regulation #R159-22, revising the requirements of certain licensed teachers to complete training or professional development, revising the duties and responsibilities of certain licensed teachers and replacing an obsolete term. The revisions include what training a literacy specialist shall complete and roles and responsibilities of a literary specialist.

Explore the proposed regulation and public hearing materials.

Board Conducted a Public Hearing for Temporary Regulation #T005-22

The Board conducted a public hearing for Regulation #T005-22, prescribing the minimum score a pupil must attain on an end-of-course final to receive credit for that course. The regulations would lower the currently required 20% of a student’s final course grade to 5%, and would remove the Math II, Integrated Math III, and ELA II exams from being administered in the 2022-2023 school year. Only Math I, Integrated Math I, and ELA I-Reading Comprehension EOC assessments would be administered.

This item was pulled from the agenda and will be resubmitted for a public hearing and possible approval at a later date.

Explore the proposed regulation and public hearing materials.

Public Comment #2

  • No public comment was provided during this time.

Recess

Public Comment #3

  • Communities in Schools’ partnership and new sites

President’s Report

Highlights included:

  • The 2022 Superintendent of the Year was awarded to Dr. Summer Stephens of Churchill County.
  • The new National Assessment of Educational Progress Data has been released. More information on Nevada-specific data will be presented at a future meeting.
  • The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium is the 3-8th grade standardized assessment. There have been additional communications and context provided to parents and families on process, improvement, and engagement tools and techniques.
  • State Public Charter School Authority Board Appointment has a vacancy. Applications close on 10/20 and will be reviewed at the Board’s November meeting.
  • Regent Arrascada presented a Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents report. Highlights included 20,000+ awards conferred from NSHE, and a partnership with the Department of Education on career and technical education and dual enrollment programs. NSHE’s submitted budget includes workforce development capacity building, as well as addressing teacher shortages.

Superintendent’s Report

Highlights included:

  • Two Nevada schools were recognized as national Blue Ribbon Schools: Gibbons Elementary School and Drake Elementary School.
  • Community in Schools opened a center at Von Tobel Middle School.
  • The Department is partnering with WestEd to launch the Nevada Learning Network Conference.
  • Final 2022 Commission on School Funding will publish its report in November.

Board Approved Consent Agenda 

Consent agenda items included:

Explore the consent agenda items.

Board Received an Update from Workforce Connections

Workforce Connections assists adults, dislocated workers, and youth with basic career services and training, supportive services, and placement services. For employers, the agency provides workforce development assistance, busines plans, and financial tools.

It has several industry-sector partnerships that help K-12 youth get exposed to career pipelines, educating families on career opportunities, externships, mentorships, and sponsorships. It also hosts the CCSD Workforce Fellows, which provides immersion into information about Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) eligibility and services, site visits and meetings for youth providers, and partnerships with local chambers, community colleges, and employment resources. It also works with the Department of Juvenile Justice Services Promise Fellows, which operate in eight locations.

Workforce Connections also recently introduced the first EmployNV Youth Hub and Teen Zone at the West Charleston Library, with the goal of exposing youth to well-paying careers while providing them with 1-on-1 assistance with goal planning.

Explore the Workforce Connections presentation.

Board Discussed the College and Career Ready (CCR) High School Assessment RFP

The Board voted to reject the original CCR RFP recommendation and reopen the bidding process in its last meeting. During the presentation at this meeting, a revised process was outlined, including providing feedback and recommendations on a draft survey for public comment, a new public comment period, the NDE providing an update to the State Board regarding survey responses, and the State Board of Education providing feedback and recommendations on the draft RFP, rubric, and list of entities for review committee.

The Board provided feedback on several items on the CCR assessment stakeholder survey, including mentioning a “nationally recognized college entrance assessment,” ensuring the survey is approachable to different users, accessibility across devices, adding in questions regarding career readiness, and ensuring student perspectives are represented.

The Board will report feedback to staff by October 11, and a group of board members will work with staff to finalize the survey.

Explore the presentation and the survey draft.

Board Discussed Its Position Statement for the Upcoming Legislative Session

At its last meeting, the Board proposed putting forth a position statement from the Board of Education to the Legislature to stress the importance and need for additional funding to the Nevada education system, and to address the need for that additional funding as a cohesive document. It reviewed a draft of that statement, including needs for education recruitment, training, and retention; pre-kindergarten programs; educator support; and physical and technological infrastructure.

Trustees discussed the approach and content of the statement, including more specificity for outcomes and accountability, as well as strategies to continue outreach to constituents and stakeholders and unifying messaging. A second group of stakeholders will rework and refine the position statement.

Explore the draft position statement.

Future Agenda Items

Future agenda items will include the SPCSA board appointment, Commission on School Funding report (December), a joint meeting with the NSHE Board of Regents in early 2023, test scores and Nevada data, and an exploration of the term “at-risk” and how the term is applied to weights, especially after the public hearing revising the definition earlier in the meeting.

The 2023 State Board of Education meeting schedule has been posted.

Public Comment #2

Public comment was heard on the following subject:

  • State agency and school district memberships in 501c6 advocacy organizations

The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 3, 2022.


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Nevada Ed-Watch: 09/01/22

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on decisions being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Nevada State Board of Education

What is the State Board of Education & what are they responsible for? The Nevada State Board of Education adopts regulations based on Nevada laws, which are passed down to individual school districts in Nevada to implement. The Board has 11 total (7 appointed and 4 publicly elected) members.

How often does the State Board meet? The Nevada State Board of Education meets once per month on Thursdays at 9:00 AM or 2:00 PM. Click here to see the 2022 Board Meeting Schedule. Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar.

Can community members engage at State Board Meetings? A time for public comment is provided at the beginning (for agenda items) and at the conclusion (on any matter) of each Board meeting. Members of the public may provide public comment in writing via email; public comment will be accepted via email for the duration of the meeting and shared with the State Board of Education during the public comment periods. Public comment may be emailed to NVBoardED@doe.nv.gov.

Click here for a list of all State Board Members.

Thursday, September 1, 2022

Nevada State Board of Education Meeting

Click here to see the regular SBOE meeting agenda.

Click here to watch the meeting playback.

What happened at the regular meeting?

Public Comment #1

Public comment was heard on the following subjects: 

  • College and Career Readiness RFP assessment process
  • Educator and other staff vacancies

President’s Report

Highlights included:

  • Applications and nominations are open for the 2023 Recognizing Inspirational School Employees Award. Nominations close September 19, 2022, and awardees will be recognized in October.
  • The President welcomed new board member Joseph Arrascada, who will be the Nevada System of Higher Education representative on the Board.

Superintendent’s Report

Highlights included:

  • Deputy Superintendent Jessica Todtman is transitioning out of her current role. Dr. Seng-Dao Yang-Keo has transitioned to the Washoe County School District. Craig Statucki is the new Interim Deputy Superintendent for Educator Effectiveness, and Dr. Jose Silva will serve as the new Chief Strategy Officer.
  • There will be a meeting to discuss possible updates to the Pupil-Centered Funding Plan Update on September 2, at 9:00 a.m. The group is currently finalizing recommendations and will publish those findings by November 15. Auxiliary services, inflation, Nevada cost of education index, funding for virtual schools, and dual enrollment are part of the discussion.
  • The Interim Legislative Committee on Education met this week and discussed several items, including teacher recruitment and retention, Career and Technical Education dual credit pilots for underserved students, capacity building for social-emotional supports and mental health, expansion of school psychologist training programs, addressing chronic absenteeism, pre-K ages, wraparound services for apprenticeship programs, and competency-based education, among others.
  • Information regarding the End of Course Assessment Regulation Workshop will be brought to the October 6 Board meeting.
  • Two recipients were awarded the Early Childhood Educator of the Year honors, based on a nomination, application, and interview process: Carl Estevan from UNLV/CSUN Preschool, and Bonnie Toth from Kids Co-op Preschool.

Board Approved Consent Agenda 

Consent agenda items included:

The FY22 Quarter 3 Class Size Reduction Report was pulled from the consent agenda and will be heard at the October board meeting.

Board Discussed an Update on the Work of the Commission on Professional Standards in Education

The Board received a summary of the Commission on Professional Standards in Education’s (COPS) 2021 Report, and an overview of ongoing efforts to ensure equitable and high-quality pathways to licensure. The Department is researching best practices for alternate licensure pathways, and is soliciting stakeholders to take part in a work group on implementation of these pathways.

The Commission also made regulations that supported accelerated pathways for educator and school psychology candidates to complete student teaching and internship requirements for licensure, as well as regulations that determine continuing education requirement for school counselors and school psychologists, with public hearings expected for both this fall. Several other regulations on items, including renewal requirements, English Language Acquisition coursework, exam requirements for occupational and physical therapists, and field experiences for paraprofessionals and interns, are pending public hearing. The Commission is also exploring reciprocity to streamline licensure for out-of-state and active duty licensees.

COPS held a special meeting in July to request the Governor take emergency action to address educator workforce shortages for the 2022-2023 school year. Governor Sisolak recently signed emergency action to give the Superintendent authority to extend certain provisional licenses (impacting about 600 educators), and reduced licensure fees for substitute and emergency substitute teachers.

Explore the presentation and the 2021 annual report.

Board Discussed an Update on the Work of the Holocaust and Other Genocides Subcommittee

The subcommittee explored what is occurring in Holocaust and other genocide instruction, how such instruction could be enhanced, and recommendations to the Board for resources, professional learning, and possible legislative recommendations.

Currently occurring are regional conferences and learning opportunities both in-person and in virtual settings, including a Holocaust education panel at UNLV, and LEA-specific professional learning. Potential enhancements include developing a needs assessment survey on demographics, resources currently being used and what would be valuable to supporting instructions; building supports for educators, families, and students; curating resources and developing crosswalks of ELA, fine arts, and social studies to address the Holocaust and other genocides; and developing on-demand professional learning modules. Legislative recommendations will be discussed during the subcommittee’s September 8 meeting.

Explore the presentation.

Board Rejected a Recommendation of the College and Career Ready (CCR) High School Assessment RFP Process

The Board reviewed the presentation on the College and Career Ready (CCR) High School Assessment RFP process and the resulting recommendation, previously given at the July 2022 Board meeting. The RFP sought a qualified vendor to administer a CCR assessment to all students enrolled in Grade 11, including development, delivery, administration, scoring, and reporting services. The initial term is four years, from FY 2023-2026, with an option to extend into FY 2027-2028.

Four vendors responded (Data Recognition Corporation, Pearson Education, ACT, and The College Board), and an evaluation committee with representatives from Douglas, Clark, and Washoe County School Districts, Carson City School District, the Nevada Department of Education, and the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation reviewed all responses using criteria in demonstrated competence, conformance with the terms of the RFP, cost, experience in comparable engagements, and expertise.

The Committee’s recommendation was to award Data Recognition Corporation and its Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortia (SBAC) to move forward with the vendor selection process.  Since the meeting, concerns have been voiced about equity, as the ACT is currently offered at no cost to all students, as well as the post-secondary accessibility opportunities of the ACT.

The Board voted to reject this RFP recommendation and reopen the bidding process.

Explore the recommendation presentation and RFP from July’s board meeting, as well as the final score summary and evaluator comments.

Board Discussed the 82nd Legislative Session

The Board proposed putting forth a position statement from the Board of Education to the Legislature to stress the importance and need for additional funding to the Nevada education system.

Discussion about the adequacy of funding plans, funding gaps needed to ensure adequate and optimal funding, and involving stakeholder groups, such as school districts, municipalities, and business organizations, followed. Staff will draft a statement with input from the Board; that statement will be brought to the Board for approval at its October 6 meeting.

Board Held a Public Hearing on and Approved Regulation #R066-22 – Creating Regulatory Language for the Requirements of Minutes in a School Day in Session for Kindergarten (NAC 387.131)

The Board held a public hearing on and approved Regulation #R066-22, increasing the requirement of kindergarten in-session minutes from 120 to 240 minutes per day.

Explore the regulation language and public hearing materials here.

Board Held a Public Hearing on and Approved Regulation #R068-22 – Prescribing Requirements With Which a Recipient of a Grant to Fund a Prekindergarten Program Must Comply (NRS 387.652)

The Board held a public hearing on and approved Regulation #R068-22, which added a new section to detail requirements of a recipient of a grant for a prekindergarten program, including collaborating with providers of community-based services to meet the needs of families of pupils; health care screenings; referrals for services and resources; maintaining records; creating and implementing a system to assess progress; and administering an annual survey to evaluate each family’s experience with the program.

Explore the regulation language and public hearing materials here.

Future Agenda Items

Future agenda items will include an update on workforce development and follow-up from the College and Career Readiness Assessment RFP agenda item. The student board representative will obtain feedback from peers on future topics students may want to have discussed at upcoming meetings. A potential joint meeting of the Nevada System of Higher Education and the Nevada State Board of Education may be scheduled on October 14, 2022.

Public Comment #2

Public comment was heard on the following subject:

  • Use of the ACT as the standardized high school CCR assessment

The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 6, 2022.


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Nevada Ed-Watch: 07/07/22

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on decisions being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Nevada State Board of Education

What is the State Board of Education & what are they responsible for? The Nevada State Board of Education adopts regulations based on Nevada laws, which are passed down to individual school districts in Nevada to implement. The Board has 11 total (7 appointed and 4 publicly elected) members.

How often does the State Board meet? The Nevada State Board of Education meets once per month on Thursdays at 9:00 AM or 2:00 PM. Click here to see the 2022 Board Meeting Schedule. Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar.

Can community members engage at State Board Meetings? A time for public comment is provided at the beginning (for agenda items) and at the conclusion (on any matter) of each Board meeting. Members of the public may provide public comment in writing via email; public comment will be accepted via email for the duration of the meeting and shared with the State Board of Education during the public comment periods. Public comment may be emailed to NVBoardED@doe.nv.gov.

Click here for a list of all State Board Members.

Thursday, July 7, 2022

Nevada State Board of Education Meeting

Click here to see the regular SBOE meeting agenda.

Click here to watch the meeting playback.

What happened at the regular meeting?

Public Comment #1

Public comment was heard on the following subjects: 

  • AB 469 implementation
  • College and career assessments
  • Carryover funds
  • Teacher licensure requirements

President’s Report

Highlights included:

  • The Board welcomed two new Board Members: Malia Poblete, the new student representative on the Board, and Dr. Summer Stephens, Superintendent of Churchill County School District.
  • President Ortiz attended at the National Association of Latino Elected Officials.

Superintendent’s Report

Highlights included:

  • The Nevada Department of Education (NDE) team presented at the Nevada Association on School Administrators spring conference.
  • The NDE team presented on multiple topics to the Interim Committee on Education, including competency-based learning, evidence-based evaluation methods, and early education costs (determined through a modeling exercise to be $8,410 per student), class size, workforce analysis, and teacher retention and recruitment. The Interim Committee has 16 recommendations in advance of the 2023 legislative session.
  • The NDE has invested $12 million in college and career readiness through ARP and ESSER funds.

Board Approved Consent Agenda 

Consent agenda items included:

Board Presentation to Milken Educator Award Recipient

The 2022 Milken Educator Award (MEA) winner Ali Jun was presented with the MEA Obelisk.

Explore the presentation and more information on the Milken Educator Award here.

Board Received a Presentation on Clark County School District’s Progress Related to the Allocation of 85 Percent of Unrestricted Funds to Local School Precincts

CCSD has a requirement to allocate 85% of unrestricted funds to local school precincts, pursuant to AB 469 and NRS. District staff provided an overview on how restricted funds are identified and district responsibilities under NRS 388G.610, as well as costs for each of these responsibilities.

In summary, total resources from the General Fund is $3.1 billion, with $1.1 billion in the restricted funds category, and $2.0 billion in unrestricted funds. Of those unrestricted funds, 93% are allocated to schools and 7% are allocated to central services.

Explore the presentation here.

Board Received a Presentation Regarding K-12 Student Achievement Rankings

The Board received a presentation from the Guinn Center of the results of the first two phases of a three-phase study related to the methodologies behind national education rankings by Education Week, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and the Fordham Institute. The presentation addressed Nevada’s and the Las Vegas Metro area’s standings on these rankings and provide a preview of the final and third phase of the work to be completed.

In its most recent rankings, Education Week’s “Quality Counts” ranking places Nevada 18th in K-12 achievement, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s “Kids Count” ranking places Nevada 45th in K-12 achievement.

Key findings by the Guinn Center include that data sets are dated, and any new programs intended to improve Nevada rankings will not be reflective in these reports; rankings are relative, in that improving outcomes does not necessarily guarantee an improvement in rankings; each ranking is unique and should not be compared to one another; and data points used (or excluded) impact the results of each respective report.

Explore the presentation here and the Nevada Education Rankings report here.

Board Received a Presentation on a Recommendation of the College and Career Ready Assessment Request for Proposals (RFP) Process

The Board received a presentation on the College and Career Ready (CCR) High School Assessment RFP process and the resulting recommendation. The RFP sought a qualified vendor to administer CCR assessment to all students enrolled in Grade 11, including development, delivery, administration, scoring, and reporting services. The initial term is four years, from FY 2023-2026, with an option to extend into FY 2027-2028.

Four vendors responded (Data Recognition Corporation, Pearson Education, ACT, and The College Board), and an evaluation committee with representatives from Douglas, Clark, and Washoe County School Districts, Carson City School District, the Nevada Department of Education, and the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation reviewed all responses using criteria in demonstrated competence, conformance with the terms of the RFP, cost, experience in comparable engagements, and expertise.

The Committee’s recommendation was to award Data Recognition Corporation and its Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortia (SBAC) to move forward with the vendor selection process. After discussion, a split vote resulted in the Board having to hold this item for a future meeting.

Explore the recommendation here and the RFP here. Score summaries can be found here and evaluator comments can be found here.

Board Held a Public Hearing on and Approved Regulation #R069-22 – Expanding the Ability of School Districts to Hire Paraprofessionals to Work in Hard-to-Staff Title I Schools (NAC 388G.100)

The Board held a public hearing on and approved a Notice of Intent expanding the ability of school districts to hire paraprofessionals to work in hard-to-staff Title I schools.

Explore the Notice of Intent materials here.

Board Held a Public Hearing on and Approved Regulation #R063-22 – Creating Regulatory Language to Define a Principal’s Ability to Hire Teachers and Substitute Teachers in Place of a Licensed Teacher, and Revise the Dispute Resolution Process (NAC 388G.100)

The Board held a public hearing on and approved a Notice of Intent that requires a large school district to provide annual training on certain topics; requires a school district and local school precinct to develop and follow certain procedures in the selection of teachers; and revises provisions relating to dispute resolution process. A modification to the proposed language was made to place “to the greatest extent possible” language back into the regulation.

Explore the Notice of Intent materials here.

Board Held a Public Hearing on and Approved Regulation #R064-22 – Creating Regulatory Language to Define “Other Staff Who Work Under the Direct Supervision of the Principal” (NAC 388G.610)

The Board held a public hearing on and approved a Notice of Intent that interprets the term “other staff who work under the direct supervision of the principal” to mean any employee who is assigned to the local school precinct; evaluated by the principal or a designee of the principal; and not a member of central services.

Explore the Notice of Intent materials here.

Board Held a Public Hearing on and Approved Regulation #R065-22 – Creating Regulatory Language Related to Non-Compliance of NRS 388G.500 Through 388G.910 and Any Regulations Thereof

The Board held a public hearing on and approved a Notice of Intent that establishes certain powers of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to carry out the reorganization of a large school district; sets forth the qualifications, powers, and duties of a compliance monitor to oversee the reorganization of a large school district; authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction to place certain large school districts in a receivership due to noncompliance with certain requirements relating to reorganization; and sets forth the powers and duties of the receiver of a large school district.

After discussion, the Board approved the regulation, removing the last sentence from Paragraph 5 and all text thereafter, to remove possible receivership from the regulatory language. The struck language can be added or reviewed at a later date.

Explore the Notice of Intent materials here.

Future Agenda Items

Future agenda items will include a discussion regarding the 2023 legislative session, as well as an update on Workforce Connections and Praxis/licensing issues.

Public Comment #2

Public comment was heard on the following subject:

  • Fiscal management pursuant to AB 469

The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 1, 2022.


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Nevada Ed-Watch 06/02/22

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on decisions being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Nevada State Board of Education

What is the State Board of Education & what are they responsible for? The Nevada State Board of Education adopts regulations based on Nevada laws, which are passed down to individual school districts in Nevada to implement. The Board has 11 total (7 appointed and 4 publicly elected) members.

How often does the State Board meet? The Nevada State Board of Education meets once per month on Thursdays at 9:00 AM or 2:00 PM. Click here to see the 2022 Board Meeting Schedule. Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar.

Can community members engage at State Board Meetings? A time for public comment is provided at the beginning (for agenda items) and at the conclusion (on any matter) of each Board meeting. Members of the public may provide public comment in writing via email; public comment will be accepted via email for the duration of the meeting and shared with the State Board of Education during the public comment periods. Public comment may be emailed to NVBoardED@doe.nv.gov.

Click here for a list of all State Board Members.

Thursday, June 2, 2022

Nevada State Board of Education Meeting

Click here to see the regular SBOE meeting agenda.

Click here to watch the meeting playback.

What happened at the regular meeting?

Public Comment #1

Public comment was heard on the following subjects: 

  • Teacher recruitment and housing
  • Education quality in Nevada
  • AB 469 and district reorganization
  • SPCSA board appointments
  • Standardized testing, assessments, and student outcomes
  • College and career readiness

President’s Report

Highlights included:

  • There are two U.S. Presidential Scholars representing Nevada in 2022: Jang Gun Choe, from Clark High School in Las Vegas, and Julianna Schneider, from Davidson Academy in Reno.
  • There will be a presentation from the Commission on School Funding at the July Board meeting.

Superintendent’s Report

Highlights included:

  • UNR President Sandoval hosted K-12 superintendents in May for a meeting to discuss Pre-K – higher education and the educator pipeline. Also in attendance were UNLV and Nevada State College.
  • The Teacher Recruitment and Retention Advisory Task Force is a public body appointed by the Legislative Committee on Education, consisting of 20 Nevada teachers tasked with identifying challenges with and making recommendations to the Legislative Committee on Education regarding teacher recruitment and retention. There will be a presentation and report given next week to the Legislative Committee on Education.
  • The Nevada Department of Education provides data and information to the Joint Interim Legislative Committee on Education, including six recent presentations (and five scheduled for the upcoming meeting) on a variety of topics, including regarding health and wellness, retention, restorative practice, school safety, performance plans, and boards, councils, and commissions.

Board Approved Consent Agenda 

Consent agenda items included:

Board Appointed Dr. Tonia Holmes-Sutton to Serve as a State Board Appointee to the State Public Charter School Authority Board

The Board reviewed eight applications to serve as one of two State Board appointees for a three-year term on the State Public Charter School Authority Board (July 1, 2022- June 30, 2025). After applicant interviews and board discussion, Dr. Tonia Holmes-Sutton was selected to serve a second term on the SPCSA board.

Review the applicants’ information here.

Board Delayed a Presentation and Vote on the College and Career Ready High School Assessment RFP Process

The Board delayed the presentation and vote on the agenda item regarding the College and Career Ready (CCR) High School Assessment RFP Process and the resulting recommendation of the RFP Selection Committee. The item will now be heard at the July Board of Education meeting.

Explore the presentation and the Request for Proposal.

Future Agenda Items

Suggestions for future agenda items regarding legislative priorities and the Commission on School Funding, the progress on carryover dollars as related to AB 469, and workforce development updates were discussed.

Public Comment #2

Public comment was heard on the following subject:

  • AB 469 Subcommittee behavior

The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 7, 2022.


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Nevada Ed-Watch: 4/21/22

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on decisions being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Nevada State Board of Education

What is the State Board of Education & what are they responsible for? The Nevada State Board of Education adopts regulations based on Nevada laws, which are passed down to individual school districts in Nevada to implement. The Board has 11 total (7 appointed and 4 publicly elected) members.

How often does the State Board meet? The Nevada State Board of Education meets once per month on Thursdays at 9:00 AM or 2:00 PM. Click here to see the 2022 Board Meeting Schedule. Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar.

Can community members engage at State Board Meetings? A time for public comment is provided at the beginning (for agenda items) and at the conclusion (on any matter) of each Board meeting. Members of the public may provide public comment in writing via email; public comment will be accepted via email for the duration of the meeting and shared with the State Board of Education during the public comment periods. Public comment may be emailed to NVBoardED@doe.nv.gov.

Click here for a list of all State Board Members.

Thursday, April 21, 2022

Nevada State Board of Education Meeting

Click here to see the regular SBOE meeting agenda.

Click here to watch the meeting playback.

What happened at the regular meeting?

Public Comment #1

Public comment was heard on the following subjects: 

  • Teacher and support staff recruitment, retention, and pay
  • The impact of AB 469 on teachers, support staff, and current employment agreements
  • AB 469 definitions

President’s Report

Highlights included:

  • The Washoe County School Board is in the final process of selecting its next Superintendent of Public Schools, and the new superintendent will be announced next week.
  • Student safety concerns and the importance of providing resources for students who are experiencing stress, trauma, and mental health issues were also highlighted.

Superintendent’s Report

Highlights included:

  • Safety, Mental, and Behavioral Needs of Nevada Students and Educators Roundtables were held. Discussions included protections for employees and students, misconceptions regarding restorative justice, and student discipline measures related to safety issues.
  • Twenty-five teams competed in the FIRST Robotics Competition at the Thomas & Mack Center, in a statewide competition. Some students are participating in the national competition in Texas.
  • SPCSA appointment applications are due in by May 13 and can be found here.

Board Approved Consent Agenda 

Consent agenda items included:

Board Heard an Update on Ratios of Specialized Instructional Support Personnel

The Board heard an update on ratios of Specialized Instructional Support Personnel (SISP) and the implementation of requirements in Senate Bill (SB) 89 (2019), SB 151 (2021), and SB 352 (2021). The presentation explained the update to the ratios (SB 89 and 151) and some of the strategies and policies to help increase the number of support personnel in schools.

Clark County and Washoe County are required to create reports on these ratios, and baseline ratios were reported from the 2019 and 2020 school years. There is still work to be done to reach these ratios within these school districts across the board, with a decline in social workers and an uptick in school noted by staff.

Efforts to improve SISP ratios include differing revenue streams to support hiring and developing these positions. Staff are also looking at more diversified revenue streams to fund these positions.

Explore the presentation, which includes baseline numbers, ratios, and reporting.

Board Approved Teach Nevada Scholarship Awards

The Board received a presentation on current available funds for Teach Nevada scholarship awards and requests. Available funds for 2023 allocations are $2.4 million. They are proposing two award phases in the fiscal year to allow for better planning and scholarship distribution. 2022 carryover funds, as well as rebalanced funds, will be requested in the fall. Two options were presented for awards during this meeting, and board approved the second option.

Explore the presentation.

Board Heard an Update on Educator Recruitment Needs and Efforts

The Board received presentations from Data Insight Partners and EdLiFE on educator retention and attrition, national education workforce trends, and statewide efforts on educator recruitment and retention.

Data Insight Partners presented on educator retention and attrition and workforce trends. It is estimated that 3,000 more teachers are needed in Nevada, based on recommended class sizes. Comparing Nevada’s student-teacher ratios with national averages, this is a conservative estimate, as approximately 9 in 10 students are in a larger-than-recommended class size.

In the last two years, staff separations have accelerated later in the school year (April – July). Teachers this year are leaving at a faster pace earlier in the school year, with 1,156 teacher/licensed staff separations between August and March of this school year (comparatively, in 2020-21, there were 824 separations, and in 2019-20, there were 781 separations). Teacher recruitment nationwide is expected to be competitive.

The work ahead identified is understanding trends, pipeline, and obstacles moving forward; building the data infrastructure; monitoring access to experienced teachers; and improving the ability to predict future demand.

EdLiFE staff presented on efforts underway to expand and increase the diversity of Nevada’s education workforce, recruitment, and retention efforts.

Explore the Data Insight Partners presentation and the EdLiFE presentation.

Board Received an Update on Implementation of AB 469, and Approved Items for Regulation Workshops

The Board received a presentation on national non-compliance policies and practices related to state takeovers, possible non-compliance regulatory language, and revisions of other language as mandated by AB 469, as brought forth from the AB 469 Subcommittee.

Four possible NAC 388G draft regulation changes were discussed:

  1. Possible regulatory language changes regarding the non-compliance policy for large school districts, including the appointment of a compliance monitor. Additional language changes include the monitor having the requisite skills that align to the deficiencies of the district, conditions of the receivership, and the resources and compensation of the monitor.
  2. Possible regulatory language changes on dispute resolution processes
  3. Proposed changes to language that specifically outline the school district’s responsibility to mandatory training on provisions of NRS 388G.500-388G.810.
  4. Additional clarity on defining staff that is evaluated by the principal or principal’s staff as included in Subsection 2 of NRS 388G.610.

After discussion, the proposed language on non-compliance policy/consequences (with changes), dispute resolution revision, training language, and the definition of “other staff under the direct supervision of the principal” were approved to move forward.

The next steps will be to have these proposed regulations go to regulation workshops, and then be presented back to the Board for a formal hearing. Upon approval, these changes would be sent to the Legislative Commission for final review and adoption.

Explore the proposed language and presentation.

Future Agenda Items

Suggestions for future agenda items regarding mental health and student safety were discussed.

Public Comment #2

Public comment was heard on the following subjects:

  • Support staff development and certificate programs
  • Student and staff safety
  • Bus driver professional pathways


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